By ANGELA OKETCHMore by this AuthorScientists have devised a way of detecting malaria in children through a breath test. According to researchers from Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, the "malaria breathalyser" picks up on a previous breakthrough that found people with the disease have unique chemical compounds in their breath. Although the test needs perfecting, it could offer a cheap and easy way to help diagnose malaria, Prof Audrey Odom John and colleagues say. RESULTSThe test can detect six different odours or volatile organic compounds to spot cases of malaria. The study involved 35 feverish children, some with and some without malaria, to test the breathalyser, with the researchers saying the results were very promising.

Source: Daily Nation November 14, 2017 16:52 UTC